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Eldercare Review | Tuesday, July 23, 2024
Dementia is not a single condition. Instead, it refers to a variety of brain-related disorders. These disorders cause cognitive decline, which impairs memory, communication skills, thought patterns, and behavior.
Fremont, CA: Dementia is a broad term encompassing disorders affecting a person's memory capacity, processing information, and communicating. Short-term memory problems and difficulty finding words are common early warning signs.
Memory issues do not necessarily indicate dementia. A doctor must find that the symptoms seriously interfere with your daily life before diagnosing dementia.
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Depending on the reason, early diagnosis of dementia by a clinician may help decrease cognitive deterioration.
Changes in Mood
Dementia is also associated with mood shifts. If you have dementia, you may not be able to detect it in yourself, but you may notice it in others. Depression, for example, is typical in the initial stages of dementia.
Someone with dementia may also appear more afraid or worried than previously. They may become easily disturbed if their daily routine changes or they find themselves in strange surroundings.
Apathy
Apathy, or listlessness, is a common early-stage dementia symptom. A dementia patient may lose interest in hobbies or activities they formerly enjoyed and no longer wish to go out or have fun. They may also lose interest in socializing with friends and family and appear emotionally drained.
Confusion
Someone who has dementia in its early stages may become confused. They may have difficulty remembering faces, recognizing what day or month it is, or determining their location.
Confusion can occur for a variety of causes and in various contexts. For example, people may misplace their car keys, forget what happens next in the day, or have difficulties recalling someone they recently met.
Difficulty Adapting to Change
The experience can be frightening to someone in the early stages of dementia. They are suddenly unable to recall familiar faces or follow what others are saying. They have yet to learn why they stopped by the store and may get lost on their way home.
Poor Judgment
Another side effect of cognitive impairment is the loss of decision-making capacity. For example, a person who has dementia may be unable to notice risky conditions. They may try crossing a busy street without waiting for it to be safe or go outside in summer attire while it is snowing.
Another symptom of impaired judgment in dementia is the inability to make sound financial decisions. Someone formerly frugal with their money may begin to give money to people or causes they are unfamiliar with.
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